How right you are. Even working in a bike shop, the whole holiday rush puts things in an entirely different (read: crappy) perspective.

I think it's also frustrating because every year I tell my family that I don't want anything for Christmas (and I really mean it), and instead of just listening to me and maybe giving me something generic and small like a Best Buy gift card or whatever, they go out and buy me all kinds of ridiculous books and CDs and clothes that I will never use, and it just shows me that they don't have a clue about who I am, what I do, or what I would possibly want/need. It really makes Christmas a pretty miserable time of year for me.

The thing i hate is people coming in 10 minutes before you close on Christmas eve and thinking hey its the holidays they will stay open late for me. I made sure those doors were locked at close everyday last week except once and i paid dearly for it. I basically told people when the door was locked and they were banging on the door, "hey, just because you didnt plan better for the holidays doesnt mean that I have to pay for it." the funny thing is both my bosses agreed.

The thing i hate is people coming in 10 minutes before you close on Christmas eve and thinking hey its the holidays they will stay open late for me. I made sure those doors were locked at close everyday last week except once and i paid dearly for it. I basically told people when the door was locked and they were banging on the door, "hey, just because you didnt plan better for the holidays doesnt mean that I have to pay for it." the funny thing is both my bosses agreed.

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Amen. I worked at a bike shop during the Holidays last year, and vowed never to do it again. So far I've lived up to it!

I think it's also frustrating because every year I tell my family that I don't want anything for Christmas (and I really mean it), and instead of just listening to me and maybe giving me something generic and small like a Best Buy gift card or whatever, they go out and buy me all kinds of ridiculous books and CDs and clothes that I will never use, and it just shows me that they don't have a clue about who I am, what I do, or what I would possibly want/need. It really makes Christmas a pretty miserable time of year for me.

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i totally agree with you, but my issue isn't my family (there's only my mom and she gives me $$ now) it's my co-workers. geez what's wrong with a bottle of wine (if anything). one of my co-workers gave me a 4cup coffee maker - i already drink coffee AND the one i have is double the capacity. good thing there's a gift receipt. oh and i specifically told her NO GIFT. ugh. i just gave her a gift card to a store she likes.

I'm with you, Ben. I like getting together with family and eating and drinking, but the stress and the rush and the spending just...it really gets on my nerves and kills the whole "spirit" of the thing.

You think you have it scrooge, I'm born on Christmas Eve..........so Christmas has never been a great day as it's 2 days of presents. When I was younger it was no big deal...........now that I am older it's like what's so Marry about Christmas?

The music gets on my nerves, the idiots out shopping is no better, plus I'm always trying for find meaningful gifts for people. If it has no meaning then why buy it? It's just wasting your money and time, and the other person knows that you didn't put thought into it.

This years non-thoughtful gift........a starbucks ornament for our tree. I don't even drink coffee........so how in the world would someone think to get a ornament? Things like that drive me NUTS.

Hang in there, it's already over with so you have another year to go..........but I agree with you, it is most of the time over-rated in a big way.

I'm with you, Ben. I like getting together with family and eating and drinking, but the stress and the rush and the spending just...it really gets on my nerves and kills the whole "spirit" of the thing.

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So don't do it. Seriously - if the money craziness gets to you, don't get sucked into it. It makes the holidays so much nicer not to worry about potential debt, did I spend enough on so-and-so, well they bought me something so I have to buy them something, keeping up with other's spending and so on.

We decided years ago to not play that game. It's such a relief once you decide that you really don't give a sh*t if your in laws poopoo your gift because it doesn't meet their idea of what's appropriate. It's a refreshing feeling to not have to worry about January credit card bills if they don't exist.

Co-worker buying someone a coffee maker? Man, if my office was like that I'd just beg out and say" sorry we are on a budget this year" and get everyone a Toblerone bar. I've never gotten the co-worker thing.

This is how we are. We don't do gifts, especially not for people we barely know, like co-workers. I opted out of secret santa every year at work. People thought I was a stick in the mud but I just didn't think it was fun. No one did, that was the issue. Everybody always got someone they didn't know or didn't like and no one ever had fun doing it.

This year TN and I didn't do gifts for each other. Christmas eve was spent visiting neighbors and friends and christmas day was spent baking cookies and being lazy and it was relaxing. There was no pressure to go shopping and we saved a ton of money. It's been the best christmas so far.

I love xmas. I have a 2 year old who makes christmas fun. But I love visiting family and just chilling. I shop around august and have most things done in advance. That way I stay out of the shopping hysteria. I work in New York City in the foster care system and see the results of parents beating and mistreating their children all the time. Almost every day we place 25 children into fostercare. To me a little commercial fakery looks good next to that. Last year my friend got he sons presents stolen on xmas eve. A couple buds and I got together and were able to buy new ones for the kid before the stores closed. The kid never new about the theft and he is so happy, Thats real and the magic of xmas. Xmas is what you make it.

Not doing it is easier said then done. I've and begged my father not to exchange gifts and he still does. Last year I didn't buy gifts and felt like a real dick when they still ended up getting me something.

Every year I end up getting gifts from friends I would never even think would do so. And it is usually cash or a gift certificate, it makes no sense. Once again I end up feeling like an asshole because I have nothing in return. I might as well just hand them back a $20 bill and say We just exchanged equivalent values of cash, Merry Christmas. It is ridiculous.

This is why Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. The whole point is to just get together with friends and family and hang out. No pressure to do anything else except be nice to each other.

I got to spend the day with my in-laws, who like to go way overboard for Christmas. Durning the gif exchange, one the the aunts went in her purse, pulled out a wad of 20's and passed them out saying Merry Christmas. It was a long day of who could one up each other with the best present for the brat kids in the family. Then everyone gets drunk and argues. Makes for a wonderful day.

My wife and I dont really do the gift exchange thing but I did get her a couple little things. A fancy new toothbrush, a new razor (and I am not trying to drop any hints you evil monkeys), a DVD and a cd. That was more then enough.

On a positive note, while walking the dogs with the father-in-law, its seems he has the same attitude as me. Next year he just want to have us and my brother in law and his wife. Just the 6 of us and have a nice relaxing day. Sounds like a plan to me!

Not doing it is easier said then done. I've and begged my father not to exchange gifts and he still does. Last year I didn't buy gifts and felt like a real dick when they still ended up getting me something.

Every year I end up getting gifts from friends I would never even think would do so. And it is usually cash or a gift certificate, it makes no sense. Once again I end up feeling like an asshole because I have nothing in return. I might as well just hand them back a $20 bill and say We just exchanged equivalent values of cash, Merry Christmas. It is ridiculous.

This is why Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. The whole point is to just get together with friends and family and hang out. No pressure to do anything else except be nice to each other.

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I'm going to edit what I posted a bit ago. We do get gifts for family, but not big ones. We don't bag out of gift giving completely, but we do focus only on family and not on getting sucked into the games that go along with it. And we do try to put a little thought into it - but not to the point of exceeded our budget for the holidays which we keep very small. Especially when you know you can't win (snarky, rich inlaws who never say thank you come to mind)

you gotta do what works for you - but not if it makes you feel crappy when it's all over.

I had a 4-day weekend thanks to the pagan holiday people call X-Mas.
I got a lot of work done on the house, so I'm happy. I get another 4-day weekend for new years. even more time to work on the house. Just leaves me more time to ride when it warms up.

Drive to parents house - realize that my friends that I grew up with are still living with their parents, delivering pizzas and doing heroin (or insert any other drug here), exchange gifts with parents (usually a good time at least), get pissed off at druggie friends and go home a day early.

My wife and I dont really do the gift exchange thing but I did get her a couple little things. A fancy new toothbrush, a new razor (and I am not trying to drop any hints you evil monkeys), a DVD and a cd. That was more then enough.

I learned a few years back that I am in control of my moods, my happiness and how I let these external influences affect me. If christmas pisses you off and makes things unbearable then YOU need to look at what is causing this and take action. It's not the holidays, it's you.

If your family just doesn't understand you, and never buys you good gifts then you either need to talk to them and explain to them what you want, spend more time with them and let them get to know you, or realize and accept that it's not what they get you, but that they thought enough of you to get you something in the first place.

Honestly I think you all who get all scroogy at the holidays do it because you enjoy it. You don't HAVE to do this stuff you know.

The thing that drives me bannans is how early the whole thing starts. Around here, Christmas stuff went up in stores in September and one radio station started playing xmas music full time in late october. By the time December rolls around, everyone is sick of it and just wants it to be done.

Just lost my girl of 7 years, no house, no vehicle, and I'm 800 miles from home visiting family on 28 acres of prime DH relastate with no bike! Merry friggin Christmas to me!! I'm not a hater, just with all the negative stuff thats happened in the last couple weeks I dont think I'll ever look at Christmas the same again.

Well, it's 366 days later (leap year, remember?). Who's up for round two of this thread?

This year I'll be trying very hard to bite my tongue and keep my mother happy.

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Dude. Try to be grateful.
My mother is 1,100 miles away this morning, and my father passed away years ago.
Your Mom might be doing things to try and create memories for you when you are her age. If you want to "give" her something, smile, say thanks a lot, and make sure she knows that you appreciate her effort.

Be a scrooge on your time. If the holiday is important to her, then let her have it.